The War to Rule the World
by Mika Moore
Summary: This is how I feel season 3 would have gone for LoS. Hopefully you agree. This story isn't finished yet, so any reviews and advice would be welcome. Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think. Rating may change depending on how the story progresses.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

The keeper was defeated and the rifts to the underworld closed. All traces of the rifts were erased when the Stone of Tears was placed in the alter. Kahlan, Richard, Zedd and Cara were all safe at the Pillars of Creation as the sun faded into the west. Unbeknownst to them, Nicci had been brought back to life and was taken by Darken Rahl. Richard no longer had the mark of the keeper upon his chest and was now free to be with the woman he loved for the rest of his life.

CH. 1:

Kahlan couldn't help but smile as she gazed into her lover's eyes. For the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid of her touch and what it could do to the people she cared for most. Richard held her in his arms and stared lovingly into her eyes.

"I still don't understand how this is possible Richard!" He chuckled, "I'll explain later." His eyes quickly looked over towards Zedd and Cara, indicating that it would be best if there were less eyes on the couple.

"Aghmmm, I think that would be my cue to leave then." Zedd walked to the couple and gave them a hug. "Don't forget that we still have much to discuss. But now I think I will take Cara with me. Somehow, I think she still doesn't get the clue." Zedd smiled as he pointed to the Mord Sith that stood firmly in place, refusing to budge from her spot.

"After everything that has happened, you really think that I would simply leave the King and Queen of Danger all alone. I learned a long time ago that these two can never stay out of trouble for more than a day." Cara finally budged from her spot and walked over to the group. "Besides, I didn't get to fight nearly enough banelings on this little quest of ours!" Cara started walking towards the Pillars, "I was expecting at least having to clean my leathers of blood after the 'epic' finale that was supposed to happen, but instead I barely broke a sweat..."

"We'll see you late Cara. And Zedd, thank you," Kahlan said as the Wizard and Mord Sith left.

************************************************************************** Zedd and Cara stood by the Pillars of Creation as Kahlan and Richard had a private talk. "We should be moving, Wizard. Staying out in the open like this after defeating the Keeper is giving me a bad vibe." The Pillars of Creation contained old and strong magic. Magic that left the Mord Sith on edge. It wasn't the first time she couldn't control magic with her training, but this place left her suspicious.

"And where do you propose we go Cara? Travel twenty miles over a grueling landscape of sharp rocks and desert back to a vacant village with little food as Banelings roam the land. I'm sure you have already thought about that option." Zedd grinned at her as he continued. "Or maybe we should travel along the cliffs of this coast in the hope of finding an old road to some old town not on any maps that you or I have seen? No, tonight we should make camp here and get some rest," Zedd stated as he watched the couple from a distance.

"So rather than leave the one place that the Keeper knows we were at, you want us to stay. Let me guess, next you will want to light a huge fire at camp and use magic to have a bright blinking light up in the sky for them to follow straight to us? C'mon Wizard, you know that the alternative is better. We should leave and get back to civilization. I have seen Richard seal the rift; he has proven to be the magic against magic. It is time he ascends the throne in D'Hara and takes the title of Lord Rahl. He is no longer a woods guide." Cara started pacing back and forth in anticipation. Of what, she could not say, but she felt something bad was coming.

"Cara, you are very perceptive. It is one of the many reasons you are a good fighter and Mord Sith. But you have failed to take into account Richard and his choices. He has to make the choice to be Lord Rahl, not you or me or Kahlan. He chose to seal the rift instead of ascending the throne. That alone shows the true character he has. I believe he would be a great Lord Rahl _because_ he doesn't want the power. As it stands, Richard's decision as to being the Lord Rahl will wait until tomorrow. I think it is reasonable that we give the Seeker one day without sending him off onto his next quest."

Cara looked the Wizard with cynical eyes. She understood what he was saying and knew in her heart that he was right. Richard was pure, truthful and dam right stubborn when it came a decision he made. "That may be true, but that still doesn't explain why we should stay here instead of heading home."

"Then answer this for me Cara: We have just defeated the Keeper and closed off his only way back into the realm of man. He has no chance of ever leaving the Underworld and his plans have been ruined. What do you think he is going to do to the person responsible for sullying his plans?"

"Obviously kill them a thousand different ways with each death being more painful than the last until that person wishes they had never been born. I have no intention of going to the Underworld any time soon; that is for sure."

"Ah, you do realize the Keeper is angry." Zedd turned to face Cara with his "I knew you could do it" look that Cara despised. "Now tell me Cara, if the Keeper is stuck in his dominion, who or what will he send in his place?"

"I would have to assume it would be banelings." Cara scoffed and leaned on a Pillar away from Zedd, clearly annoyed with the Wizard of the First Order.

"You know what they say about assuming. It makes an as-" "Get to the point Zedd!"

Zedd continued with his most Wizardly voice, "My dear, banelings will surely be sent after us. This spot is the perfect protection from them. Isolated and more than a day away, they will not be able to reach us unless they find a way to kill a person and renew that clock the Keeper has ticking away on their lives'. And, the Keeper made a contract with them that cannot be broken, so he simply can't increase the time they are allowed in between each killing. If we stay here for a day, they will die as they rush to get here to kill us. Even if a few banelings reach us, they will be too diminished to cause us any harm. There may be a few that have the proper provisions to reach us in a day, but that would take planning and time that they don't have. The Keeper is impatient and the reward for our death is too great to ignore. The Keeper has no doubt, already made a promise to grant whoever kills us with whatever it is they want. So, let them come and fail. We are protected here and this place is strong. I feel the power emanating from the Pillars like a fire. It warms me, heals me, and it offers us the chance to rejuvenate for our return. Besides, I think Richard and Kahlan deserve a night by themselves so why not have it here, secluded by the ocean with a fire and the breeze."

"And what are we to do for food? Obviously you can't go a day without food and neither can the rest of us. You said it yourself; this place is isolated in the MIDDLE of NOWHERE!" Cara was ready to stalk off and leave. The wizard always had a romantic notion to him and no practical side, but his current proposal was deadly. Staying out in the open along with facing the elements in the cold would definitely get someone sick, hurt or dead. "I see your point that the banelings will come Zedd, but without food we are hurting ourselves. This place is far away and we need food. I am exhausted and hungry. I would rather get closer to food instead of staying here."

"Child-(Cara hated when Zedd called her a child. Especially since she could easily break him in half like a twig)-there is food all around us. You just have to know where to look. And, where I am standing there is a vast ocean. Have Richard and Kahlan set up the campsite for us while you and I go fishing. Like I said, this place is strong. I feel a little bit of magic would do wonders! And catching fish without a fishing pole has never been easier."

"Let me get this straight; You could have used magic the entire time to get food? But up until this point you decided that it was a good idea not to use magic? All the nights were we went with little to no food and it turns out you could have waved your hand and '_Abracadabra_' there is some food for use to eat."

"It is not as simple as waving my hand. Trapping a living creature, whether it is a small fish or a person, takes time and a great deal of magical power. Just thinking of trying to capture a person leaves me tired. But this time I can draw my power from the Pillars and use it to get us food. I can't simply wave my hand and have a fish fly out of the water, but I can use magic to sense where some food is. It stands to reason that the people who build this place must have had a food source and fresh water. You and I will just have to find it."

Cara nodded. "I suppose that is a reasonable explanation albeit poorly timed. If I ever find out that you could have used magic to help us not starve, I will hurt you. Now, I will go tell Richard and Kahlan the plan. But, only if you take the third watch and let me have the second. Kahlan and Richard need a full nights rest and the middle watches are always the hardest. That and you have a deal Wizard" Cara extended her hand and raised her eyebrow at Zedd. If there was one thing the Wizard disliked, it was getting up at odd hours of the day. But, the offer was a fair one for his grandson. Richard needed rest and it was the one thing Zedd could give him easily.

"Deal" and with that Zedd shook Cara's hand and headed off towards the ocean. "I have no doubt you will be able to find me easily. I think I will go get a head start. It seems dinner won't catch itself!"


	2. Chapter 2

CH 2:

Richard and Kahlan stood alone by the altar for the Stone of Tears. The distant crashing of waves on the cliffs magnified the natural beauty around them, but Richard was focused entirely on the woman that stood before him. Cara and Zedd had walked off and could no longer hear the two of them talking.

"I still don't understand how this is possible," Kahlan said as she hugged Richard tightly, "You should be lost to confession! I remember feeling so enraged at you for giving the keeper the stone and failing Nicci that I lost control. I know my power took control of you- I felt it slam into you! Even in the Con Dar I knew it was you, but I just couldn't stop myself. Richard, I- I killed you! I'm so sorry. Please believe that I never wanted to mean you harm. How- why are you not confessed?"

Richard slowly eased out of Kahlan's embrace to stare her directly in the eyes. He knew that the only way she would ever truly believe him was if he was completely honest with her and showed her no shred of doubt in his eyes. "What you felt was genuine. You did confess me... your power slammed inside of me and was searching desperately for any shred of doubt to grasp and take control of. It there was fear, rejection or even hesitation, I would have been your confessed slave forever. But, Kahlan you already know that I love you with all my heart and that I will stand by you no matter what. The reason your power failed to confess me was because there was nothing for it to confess- I am already yours. And, I am telling you and will always tell you that you have nothing to be sorry for. What happened needed to happen or else you wouldn't have created a new Stone of Tears. It was necessary that I die, but I'm back now. It's okay."

"No, it is not okay." Kahlan buried her head into Richard's chest. He knew she felt guilty for hurting him, but he didn't know how much she had felt over it. He hugged her close, knowing that she just needed his comfort at the moment.

"Kahlan look at me," She held back tears as she slowly lifted her head up to look into his eyes, trying desperately to put on her Confessor's mask. She hated feeling vulnerable and didn't like anyone seeing her so distraught. "I love you. It wasn't your fault and I know that. Think about it, as soon as you realized what you did, you came out of the Con Dar. That doesn't sound like something a confessor would do to someone unless they cared deeply for them. That alone was enough, but then you started to cry. You cared for me so much, that your tears created a new stone. I cannot begin to describe what that means to me. Don't feel guilty; I knew that it wasn't you in the Con Dar. Nicci took control of you; you weren't you" Richard held Kahlan as her eyes started to water. He thought that what he said would have calmed her down, but instead she seemed even more emotional. He was puzzled and ready to ask her if she was alright but she spoke first.

"I love you too Richard." Without a second to spare he kissed her. At first she was coy, but then her hands moved up his back until she was grasping his hair. This kiss was different from all the others; it was less restrained. He clutched her closer as the kiss deepened, trying desperately to make the moment last. He could tell by the way she was positioning herself that she still had some of her reservations about her control over her magic. If only he could explain why he couldn't be confessed better. Maybe he could talk to Zedd and see if there was anything magic related that would answer the question. To him it made perfect sense that you cannot confess someone that truly and genuinely loves you. Then Kahlan would never have to worry or restrain herself when he was with her. Richard was so lost in the kiss and his thoughts that when Kahlan finally pulled away, whether to catch her breath or keep control he could not say, he was left wanting to kiss her even more.

"How could it have been so simple Richard? All my life the other Confessors never told me the truth. Why? I grew up being taught that I could not love and that I could never be with someone I loved. Even the notion of love was taught to be a ludicrous idea. And on top of that, the people in the Midlands feared to even look at a Confessor! There must be some reason that we couldn't be told. For so long, I thought I couldn't be with you and now it turns out that we can? This is almost too good to be true."

Richard took a much needed gulp of air as he held her in his arms. "Well, the truth is that I don't know. I know that the Confessors must have had a good reason. Couldn't it be possible that they knew the truth but Darken Rahl killed them before they could pass on the secret? Or, maybe they themselves didn't even know the truth. I don't know much about the history of Confessors, other than what you and Zedd told me."

Kahlan thought about her Mother and all the times she spent with the other Confessors. They never talked about falling in love and being happy. It was always history, duty, honor and taking responsibility for your actions. Even when she was with Dennee she felt obligated to act like a Confessor instead of a normal person. "I don't think the Confessors knew about it. I never found a reference to a Confessor with a man she loved during my studies at Aydindril. Kieran and Viviane were the only two people I know about that consummated their love for each other and even then Kieran was still confessed. If the Confessors knew the truth then why would they punish themselves and future generations by forbidding the very thing that could bring them happiness?"

Richard was left speechless and his confidence shaken. What if his love wasn't the reason he was not confessed by Kahlan? Could it be that Nicci's magic had warped Kahlan's ability to confess a person while in the Con Dar? _No_, he thought, _if that was the case then the Sisters that tried to stop her also would not have been affected by her touch. Besides, Kieran and Viviane had a different kind of love. It was still love, but it was nothing compared to the way he and Kahlan felt about each other. _"The Seeker in me has many questions that I need Zedd to answer..."

The snap of a broken twig alerted the couple that they were no longer alone. Richard twisted around to see Cara walking towards them. "Since you two love birds are busy talking, I figured that I would let you know that I shall go out hunting... with Zedd... by the ocean. If I haven't returned by nightfall it is most likely that I was killed by a terrible case of stupidity on Zedd's behalf. The Wizard suddenly thinks he has the ability to catch dinner with magic and I intend to see it happen."

"Zedd? Are you sure we are talking about the same person? Zedd can eat the food, but the only time I have seen him chase after it is when it is on a serving platter," Richard replied. Kahlan couldn't help but smile and was sure she could hear Cara snicker from fifteen feet out.

"Well, that is what I will find out. But while I am off watching the Wizard, would you two be so kind as to set up camp and start a fire. Zedd and I have come to the conclusion that a night of rest is in order before we start our journey back."

"And when were you planning on including Richard and me in this conversation?"

"As soon as you two finished with that awkwardly long kiss. From afar it looked like Richard was trying to eat your face off. It seems he has the Rahl talent for making love, which is none at all." Cara smirked at the two. Kahlan's cheeks turned bright red while Richard was left paler than snow.

"You know Cara, he isn't a bad kisser at all. And since he can't be confessed, I can assure you that he will have plenty of time to improve." Kahlan held Richard's hand in hers as she looked the Mord-Sith dead in the eyes. The only way to beat Cara at her own game was to make her regret even starting it in the first place.

"And while you two learn to eat each other, I will be busy trying not to gag loudly." Cara raised her eyebrow. It was a standoff, but she was impressed with Kahlan's quick comeback.

"Agreed. Now," Kahlan turned and faced Richard, "Will you help me set up camp. It appears that Cara has to leave and go babysit for awhile."

"Gladly. And Cara, make sure Zedd doesn't throw a temper tantrum if he can't catch a fish right away. You know how cranky he can get on an empty stomach..." As the two walked away they could hear Cara mutter under her breath. "I guess she didn't realize how much 'fun' it was going to be watching Zedd."

"As the Mother Confessor, I am not worried about it. Ask me again when it is dark and dinner is badly burnt...


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Cara stalked off after Zedd's trail. It took her a good thirty minutes following his trail before she got towards the cliff's edge. Cara was lost in her own thoughts as she walked. She couldn't believe Kahlan's sass towards her... it was absolutely thrilling. She wondered how she would challenge the couple next. _Maybe another Lord Rahl comment or innuendo that Kahlan fights like a chicken with her head cut off. _"Na, to obvious. I'd be better off with more Lord Rahl references."

"And why, my dear, are you choosing to pick on my Grandson?" Cara couldn't stop herself from jumping in her tracks when she heard him. Zedd had double backed on his trail and was now behind Cara.

"How did you get there? I never get caught from behind! And how do you know what I said to Richard?" Cara looked around in bewilderment trying to see where she overlooked Zedd's trail. It was sunset, but the trail was still clearly visible.

"Being caught off guard is not what a Mord-Sith does. It seems you are becoming lax. Now, you didn't answer my question. Why are you picking on my Grandson?" Zedd raised his eyebrows as he walked down the side of the cliff towards the beach.

"You didn't answer mine!" Unfortunately Zedd's look did not waiver. It was Cara's turn to yield. "Well I wasn't picking... it was merely to pass the time I suppose. That, and when he gets to the People's Palace I know of quite a few sisters who will test the new Lord Rahl with their wit." The duo had made it down the cliff and to the water's edge. Zedd pondered which way to go next.

"Tread carefully dear one. Richard may shake off a few snide comments, but comparing him to Darken Rahl is a mistake. His worst fear is to be like that man. And words like yours can cut deeper than any weapon."

"I wasn't serious about it Zedd and Richard knows it."

"Does he really know Cara? Because the pale look on his face wasn't because he felt uncomfortable about his kissing ability."

"What? Seriously, how did you hear that?!" Cara looked over her shoulder towards the cliff and wondered how the Wizard could have heard her from fifty feet out.

"Not only am I his Grandfather, but I am the only Wizard of the First Order alive. You think a little distance really makes me loose my hearing. Cara, you are tempting fate. How can you expect Richard to take the title of Lord Rahl while you make him think is no better than Darken Rahl?"

Cara stopped dead in her tracks. She assumed it was just a little fun she was having with Richard, yet the more she thought about the more hurtful her words sounded in her head. "Zedd it's not like that. I never intended to come across that way."

"I know dear one. Just keep that in the mind the next time you think about mentioning Darken Rahl and Richard's claim as the Lord Rahl... Now, I'm hungry! What do you say about jumping in and grabbing me some Tuna? Or maybe you prefer the Barracouta? Hmm..."

Cara immediately took a step back from the water. "I was told that a certain Wizard of the First Order was going to use his skill set to get the fish. I am simply here to watch and see the amazing feat."

"Haha, well let me see what I can do. You should step completely out of the water. Oh, and you'll need this." Zedd conjured and then handed her a burlap sack. Then, he hiked his robes up above his knees and waded out into the surf. He closed his eyes, held his hands just above the salt water and started chanting under his breath. Cara could feel the magic emanating from Zedd, it was a slight tingle mixed with nausea. She had to force herself to stop using her instincts as a Mord-Sith and capture the magic. It defied all of her training, so much so that if any of her sisters saw her they would probably capture her and 'train' her for months just to fix her. "Don't be nervous Cara. Just give it a few more seconds and..."

The water started to tremble. Almost unnoticeable at first, it then intensified until the water was shaking violently. Fish varying from the size of a newborn babies to full grown men started jumping out of the water and flopping on top of the water, unable to fall underneath it again.

"What's happening Zedd?"

"I told you I can't catch the fish. That was partly true. I can get the fish to me, but I have to keep the spell going, so I can't catch them at the same time. The next best thing I could think of was to force them to me and then let them jump up. That... and to make the water solid ground to them. This is the part where you come out and 'catch' the fish. If you would be so kind I like that fish over there," Zedd pointed to a Tuna the size of him, "And make sure to get me those five by your feet. I think that will be enough for me. Don't forget to get enough for Richard and Kahlan too!"

Cara's discomfort was rising. Walking on magic terrified her, but she wouldn't let the Wizard see. It was a matter of her hubris being at stake. She would never hear the end of it at camp and if any of her sisters found out about her being afraid of magic they would certainly retrain her. Cautiously, she took a small step onto the water. Part of her thought her foot would fall through the water and into the sand, but it held strong as rock. She took another step and another until she was standing on water dark blue. The tuna hadn't stopped flopping either. She took her agiel and with one touch the fish stopped moving.

"I hope that won't ruin its taste Cara. You do know I am a picky eater!" Zedd was still holding his arms toward the water, almost like he was holding a barbell of weight just above its surface. "You know dear one that this magical feat of mine has its limits and you taking a nice long stroll to get the fish is pushing it to the edge. Hurry up!"

Cara opened the burlap sack and shoved the fish in. She then quickly filled it with the fish near her as she headed towards the shore. Each fish flopped wildly until she tapped it with her agiel. By the time she got back she had Zedd's monster fish and enough fish to last the group a week if kept unspoiled.

"I'm back ashore Zedd. Let's go and see if the fire is ready for fish." Zedd's arms immediately dropped. Just like glass shattering, the water's surface broke and the remaining fish fell below.

"Agreed, I could use a break while that bad boy is cooking! Lets get back before it gets too dark to see." Cara and Zedd started heading up the cliff as the sun dipped below the horizon.

* * *

Author's Note: I am so sorry for my lack of posting! I had a serious case of writer's block. I knew part A and part C but couldn't figure out how to write part B. Hopefully this chapter will keep you interested in the story and my upcoming chapters will be more than satisfying for what season 3 should be like.

* * *

P.S.- Thank you for the comments. It helps me with the story to see how you all react to my dialog for the characters. I am really trying to have the characters act the way I interpreted them in the books along with the show.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note:  
_I know it has been way to long since the next chapter and I'm sorry. Hopefully the fact that it is over 2,000 words will make up for my lazy effort to post it. Enjoy!

* * *

_Italicized words indicate a characters thoughts. And **bold italicized words **indicate another "voice" in that characters head._

Ch. 4

It was pitch black, the moonless night adding more to the isolation. News had spread like wildfire that the rifts had been sealed and the Seeker must have won. The entire town took it upon themselves to celebrate, even though they must have had a two hours' notice. The butcher had gladly offered his prized cuts of the day and the bar gave up twenty casts of ale. The town only had five-hundred people in it, but with the noise they made celebrating it sounded like ten thousand. They didn't know what he knew. He knew the truth.

The Keeper came to him as soon as the rifts were sealed. He had been alone, lazily resting beside a lake ready for the day to end when his dreams turned to dark nightmares. His head felt like it was splitting open, the pain making him dizzy. Then, that voice! The voice that would make a normal human cower in fear, it was blasting in his ears. But, he wasn't dismayed. He had learned not to fear that which had granted him a second chance.

**_ I have a task for you Samel. It seems that I have underestimated my foe and for that lack in judgment, I have payed the price . _**_What would you have me do Keeper? __**Kill the Seeker of course. This is no simple task, but the reward is well worth the risk. **__Why choose me? There are others devoted to you who can control magic. __**You have something that they do not. Motivation. You have forgotten why you choose to come back to this world in the first place. But I haven't. Kill the Seeker, do whatever you want with the Mother Confessor and the others, and in return I will spare that which you hold most dear to you. **__Wha- what do you know! __**Enough Samel, enough to tell you that whatever pain you felt in the underworld when you were separated from it will be miniscule compared to the pain I can cause you for an eternity if you fail. Go Samel, and as a gift I will grant you this. **_Samel expected to be struck down or beaten, but the Keeper reached out to Samel in his dreams and touched him for the first time with a steady hand. **_Follow your gift and it will lead you straight to the Seeker. Kill him and that which you care for so much will never be harmed! But, don't forget that our contract is still to be upheld... _**The Keeper faded from the dream like smoke dissipating in the air.

Samel was no longer stuck in his nightmare. The Keeper had left him alone beside the lake. The light of the day was hidden behind the mountain, the lake colored a dark black. Despite the pain of his headache, Samel noticed a change. He felt a connection, what it was he didn't know for sure, but it told him that he needed to travel away from the town and towards the coast. "So, kill one man for protection. A price I'll gladly pay." Samel walked away from the lake and towards the town for one more night. The hunt had just begun.

* * *

He stood over the dead body, pondering what he should do next. _The town is so drunk they are practically stumbling over themselves. Its not even a challenge. _The celebration had started at sundown and dawn was just a few hours away. Most of the night the town people had spent drinking and dancing in jubilation of the Keeper's defeat. The ladies were practically throwing themselves onto any able bodied man that walked by them. He couldn't deny, he had his way with more than one of them. The best part was when he was alone with one. He reset his clock right then, after he had his way with her. She was too stupid to notice the pain and too drunk to realize the threat he posed. He only wished he could have killed her longer. _No wonder_ _Keeper loves the Underworld.. If I had the ability to kill and live within that moment, I would stay there for eternity. _But that was beside the point. He had a new task. The Keeper himself came to him and only him.

**_Kill the Seeker and you will rule this realm. Our contract will be fulfilled and you will be promoted to my faithful servant. You can do whatever you want, as long as you follow any commands that I give you. Imagine all the pain you could cause! _**_You have a deal Keeper. If I could swear a blood oath I would, but it seems that my word will have to be enough. __**One more thing... until you kill him, our contract is still standing. You must follow the contract, else I will be seeing you in the Underworld. Don't fail me Azazel!**_

He couldn't fail the Keeper, not when he had been promised the world. The town was isolated in the middle of a tall grass plain. Nobody would be able to follow him if he cut through the grass, hell they wouldn't even notice if he left. But, the rode was the fastest way and he needed to win his prize. He was patient when the Keeper had called to him. The town was so busy celebrating they didn't even notice when he broke into the grain supply. He didn't need the food of course, but his hostages would. He grabbed a week's worth of food for eight people and stole a barrel of water. Granted, they wouldn't eat all of the food, they would be too scared and each day he would kill one, but he couldn't risk one of them dying from starvation. Next, he went to the stables. The wagon cart he acquired could easily be pulled by one horse. Yet, the allure of the four best steeds in the town was to great. Finally, he went to the children.

The town hall was used for the celebration, so the children were left in a quiet isolated building near the outskirts of the town. He opened the door as quietly as he could. The torch in his left hand illuminated them. They were resting in a peaceful bliss. Their parents were off celebrating and the teens had snuck off long ago. All that was left were ten kids. _Now, how am I to choose eight out of the ten. They all look so tempting. _A little girl stirred. The light from the torch had awoken her and she was getting up. _No! Once she gets up they will all wake. That can't happen, not yet. I need to choose who to kill. I can't leave any behind... _"Mister who are you?" She looked to be about five years old, with light brown hair, golden eyes and wearing a blue dress.

"I am Azazel but you can call me Mr. A. Your parents asked me to watch you. It seems I'm going to have to get my wagon, they wanted me to watch all of you at my house. Can you help me set it up?" She believed the lie. _Why are people so quick to believe? Didn't their parents ever teach their kids about 'Stranger Danger'? Their loss. Ha, literally in a few moments. _The little girl grabbed here blanket and pillow as she walked to the door. "What do you need help with Mr. A?"

_"_I need you to set up your spot in the cart and when you get back we will wake up the kids and help them into the cart." He grasped the knife hidden in his pocket. _Who to kill, who to kill? Use the knife and make it quick and bloody or use my hands and risk them screaming? What to do, what to do... Of course! I'll just take them all. Leave none behind to alert the town, just a trail leading towards the grass. In the morning the parents will come and think they went into the grass to play. They will search the fields, while I have ridden away and will be at the forest. They won't realize the kids never went into the fields until it is too late to save them! _The little girl came back inside and tugged on his sleeve. "Mr. A I'm ready."

"Good, that's very good. Now, let's wake up the rest but be quiet. We don't want to scare the horses. They get nervous." It took a minute to wake up the remaining children, whom were still groggy. "Hello kids, I'm Mr.A. Your parents asked me to move you to my home so that I could watch you. Let's all get in the wagon and we will be there in a few minutes. Then you can all go back to sleep." The kids all obeyed him and climbed into the wagon. Without waiting to see if anyone saw him, he sent the horses trotting towards the road. _It was almost too easy, stealing all the children in the dead of night._

* * *

The sisters were in the old forest standing in a circle. The light of the moon was seeping through the canopy of the trees down on them. Ulicia was in the center, held captive in a dark trance. None dared to speak except her.

"Command us Keeper!"

Silence.

"Command us so that we may serve you and your will!"

Nothing.

"Comm-" Darkness enclosed the circle, so black you couldn't see your own hands trembling in fear.

"You have disappointed me Sisters." The Keeper did not show himself to them. Instead, he crushed them with pain, leaving them gasping on their knees and clutching the ground for support. "I give you all one simple task. Kill the Mother Confessor. It's not a hard task, to kill a person. I have banelings that do it every day without pause. But, send a Sister of the Dark and she screws it up without fault. You act as if I am asking you to do the impossible. Kill the Mother Confessor… For, _As long as the Mother Confessor's pure heart beats, the Keeper is doomed to fail._ You all knew the prophecy, yet you failed to act. 'Command us'. I commanded you!"

Ulicia spoke through gritted teeth, "We only meant to serve. We did not intend to fail you!"

"And fail you have. Her heart still beats, stronger than ever now that I have been sealed here in the Underworld for all eternity. I can no longer leave this realm." He shot another wave of pain at the Sisters. His anger at their failure was getting the better of him. But, he still needed them, even if they were pathetically worthless. "You have my word, my wrath is yet to be assuaged. 'Command us'. I gave you your orders. Kill the Mother Confessor. And while you are at it, kill the Seeker, the Mord Sith, and the Wizard. I want the whole group to join me in my realm. Think you got that?"

"We understand. We will not fai-"

"Don't say fail, please don't waste my time. No, you won't fail and not because I have made it fool-proof for your success, but because if you fail me one more time I will kill you." The pain keeping the Sisters submissive was lifted off them. The darkness that surrounded them slowly faded as the night sky pierced through the trees. "You are not the only ones I have sent on this task. But, if you should be the ones to complete it, you will have my forgiveness. I may not be able to leave this realm, but as I have clearly demonstrated, my reach is still beyond the Underworld." A crushing wave of pain sent the Sisters to the ground. Their lungs couldn't breathe, the night sky was fading as the darkness suffocated them. "And make haste. I will not wait long for you to complete this task. You have two moon cycles. If you fail…well you already know what I will do to you."

"We will do as you command" Ulicia kept her eyes on the ground, daring not to look up for fear of seeing the Keeper.


End file.
